Few months after the Lagos tech community converged to discuss the “Open Yaba Manifesto”, Lagos State Government has announced the commencement of a Yaba ICT cluster project called, Knowledge, Innovation, Technology and Entrepreneurship (KITE@Yaba) with the aim to create its own industrial clusters with a revenue target of over $10 billion in the years ahead.
The Lagos government in a communique said that the aim of the project was to provide an enabling environment that would facilitate and support the development of a technology cluster and ecosystem within the Yaba district of Lagos.
About KITE@Yaba
The Commissioner for Science and Technology, Mr Hakeem Fahm said, KITE@Yaba is a public-private partnership (PPP), driven by the government and supported by several industry experts and advisors along the technology value chain.
The project will offer recommendations to the Lagos State Government on eight critical areas to foster an enabling environment for innovation and entrepreneurship in information and communication technology, namely access to funding, access to market, infrastructure, policy regulation, talent and skills, research and development, network and collaboration, and advocacy and marketing.
KITE@Yaba also includes the design and construction of a world-class ICT Park for which the state government has already acquired 30,000 square metres of land in the Yaba area.
According to Fahm, “It is expected that this initiative will contribute significantly to the economic development of Nigeria and position Lagos State as the hub for innovation in Nigeria, and preferred destination for technology investors and innovators.
The project’s governance structure comprises a Project Steering Committee (PSC), an Industry Advisory Board (IAB), the Project Delivery team and Subject Matter Advisors. The PSC is co-chaired by Fahm and Dr Omobola Johnson, former minister for communication and technology and senior partner of TLcom Capital LLP, a technology ventures capital firm.
“Other members of the steering committee include Mrs. Uzammat Akinbile-Yusuf, Honourable Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment; Mrs. Yetunde Onabule, Special Adviser on Urban Development; Mr. Abiodun Amokomowo, Chief Executive Officer, IBILE Holdings Limited; and Mr. Niyi Yusuf, Country Managing Director, Accenture. Accenture will provide project management office (PMO) support as Project Delivery Lead.”
Over the next 18 months, the PSC and IAB will review designs and plans, provide professional advice, and engage in local and international awareness plans to drive further support for interest and investments in the project.